27, Raglan Street

Chapter 10

Queen Victoria School

 
An excerpt from Bob Chessar’s book “27, Raglan Street” Published 2019 by Grosvenor Publishers Ltd Available on Amazon. Chapter 10 Queen Victoria School Induction of the “rookie” Fully recovered at last from his poisoned finger, Robert once again walked with Jeanie up the driveway of Queen Victoria School. It was just before 2.00 pm on the eleventh of August 1953. After a short wait in the front office, a soldier aged about sixty came in. “Mrs Chessar?” “Yes.” “Hello. I am Company Sergeant Major, Jock White. “Hello, Mr White. This is my son, Robert.” “Right laddie, you’ll be with me in “C” Company. You will be in my charge today while we get you kitted out and billeted in your dormitory. You should come with us, Mrs Chessar, while we do the rounds of the school. Is that alright?” “Yes. How long will this take? I’ve got a long journey back to Glasgow.” “You’ll be away in less than two hours, Mrs Chessar. I will make sure you catch the four o’clock bus at the foot of the drive that will get you back to Glasgow by six o’clock tonight. Okay?” “Thank you Mr White.” “Call me Jock.” “Thank you, Jock.” Robert had seen soldiers in his house but none he could remember was like Jock White. He was a craggy old guy wearing trousers made of tartan. He had a khaki jacket with brass buttons. His shirt and tie were khaki. On his head was a black, boat-shaped hat with two ribbons hanging from the back. On the front of the hat was a silver badge with a lion holding two swords inside of a wreath of leaves. He had a crown sewn on each forearm of his jacket. Robert thought, this looks like a man you would not say ‘no’ to if he told you to do something. They walked at a brisk pace round to the back of the school. At the quartermaster’s store Robert was measured for his new school outfit. Jeanie watched in silence as he was handed two sets of brand new clothes and other essentials. Then the quartermaster told him, “Just drop your trousers, Robert, and we’ll get you fitted with your kilt.” He looked at his mother with a question on his face. Jeanie, knowing how sensitive he was, smiled and turned away. He them looked at Jock White with the same querulous look. “Get your breeks down, laddie. We’re not going to see anything we haven’t seen before.” Robert forced a smile. “Yes, Mr White.” “Your mother calls me ‘Mr White’, Mr McRoberts here calls me Jock but you laddie, will call me ‘Sir’. Understood? “Yes.” “Yes what?” Robert smiled again, this time showing pleasure from Jock’s clear commands, “Yes sir!” “Excellent laddie.” Jeanie smiled. He is in good hands here with Jock White; and he’s learning fast. With a little help from his mammy, who carried his kilt and greatcoat, Robert manhandled his full kitbag up to the dormitory in ‘C’ Company. Jock showed him his bed halfway down the dormitory. “Right laddie, get out of your civilian clothes and into your new school kit. Hang your kilt and khaki jacket in your locker. This evening after you’ve had your tea, we’ll get your kit number stencilled on all your school stuff. You’ve got ten minutes to get dressed while your mother and I go and have a chat. Okay?” “Yes sir!” Jock smiled. He liked the boy’s show of confidence and manners. He knew that getting inducted into this school was nerve-wracking for all the new recruits but felt that this one would cope well. Showing respect for your superior officers was a pre-requisite to good soldiering. That was the ethos of this school. Some of the older boys had authority to punish wrongdoers. With the slap of a slipper on the behind of wrongdoers, they maintained firm order and discipline. They did not have a free rein by any means; they were always under the watchful eyes of the teachers from the Royal Army Education Corps. Retired soldiers like Jock, over saw the running of the four companies. “C” company was for the junior boys. Jock took Jeanie down to his office and made a pot of tea. “How will he find his way round, Jock?” “Nothing to worry about Mrs Chessar. I will assign a senior boy to keep him under his wing for a few days. There is a lot to learn in the school but he will soon pick up all he needs to know.” How will I say goodbye to him? I am sure he will be embarrassed if I hug him in front of any of the other boys.” “A clean break is sore but in my experience the boys get over that a lot quicker. I guess you will not be so quick to get over parting with your boy, but I promise you one thing; you will see a big difference in him when he goes home again in a couple of months. When the time comes for you to leave, Mrs Chessar, I think it’s best just to touch his shoulder, say goodbye and walk away quickly. “I will do that, Jock. Thank you for looking after us. He’s been away from home a couple of times and I don’t think he will suffer too much from homesickness. He’ll just get on with his new life here; making the best of it I hope?” “I’m sure he will, Mrs Chessar. I’ll see he is kept busy. From what I have seen he will soon settle into the routine here. I think he’ll be dressed in his school clothes now. Let’s go up and you’ll see where he’ll be staying for the rest of this term.” Jeanie was impressed how smart her boy looked in his new outfit. All his other things were neatly stored in his tall locker. The dormitory was long and narrow with beds down each side, one at each of thirty windows. Robert had packed the suitcase with his civilian kit for his mother to take away. His new kit was neatly stacked in his locker. “How did you know where all your kit was to be arranged in your locker, laddie?” “I looked at the other lockers, sir.” “Well Mrs Chessar. We have a quick learner. I don’t think you will have any worries about him settling in. It’s gone half past three so we best get you away down to catch your bus. Come with us laddie and you can say cheerio to your mother.” As they went downstairs to see Jeanie off, Robert spotted other boys dressed the same as him. They smiled at him as they passed and someone said that’s the rookie. There were other very tall people dressed in tartan trousers and khaki jackets similar to Jock White but much younger. “Are they the teachers sir?” “No, laddie, they’re the senior boys. You obey them when they give you an order. You address them as ‘Monitor’.” “What’s a rookie sir”? “The boys call you a rookie because you are a new boy. Your actual rank here is ‘private’. You’ll soon get to know who’s who and what’s what, Okay?” “Yes sir” They stepped out of the side door of the school building. Jock turned to Jeanie to wish her a safe journey back to Glasgow. “You will catch your bus in about ten minutes at the foot of the driveway, Mrs Chessar. Robert, I want you to say goodbye to your mother and let her get on her way back home.” Robert had not thought about this moment when he would part from Jeanie. He stood for a moment looking at her but didn’t know what to say. She was the same. She looked at her son as if he was someone else. She seemed to see her dead husband formed in the young boy’s face. She saw his blond hair and green eyes looking like his daddy. For a fleeting moment she felt the loss of her man again by letting her boy be taken away. She wanted to put her arms around him and hug him hard to let him know how much he meant to her. She was not able to speak. Robert spoke, “Cheerio! Mammy.” He turned and ran down the path. He had no idea where it led except that it led him away from her and Jock White. He did not look back. No one would see his wet eyes. (C) Robert Chessar 2019 An excerpt from Bob Chessar’s book “27, Raglan Street” Published 2019 by Grosvenor Publishers Ltd Available on Amazon.